The invention relates to method for reconstructing a three-dimensional representation of a target volume inside an animal or human body, said method comprising the steps of:
i) acquiring a first two-dimensional image projection of said target volume using imaging means being positioned in a first imaging position,
ii) acquiring a second two-dimensional image projection of said target volume using said imaging means being positioned in a second imaging position,
iii) reconstructing from said two-dimensional image projections a three-dimensional contour image of said target volume using transformation means,
iv) displaying said three-dimensional contour image of said target volume fora user using displaying means.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for reconstructing a three-dimensional representation of a target volume inside an animal or human body, the apparatus comprising: an imaging means configured to obtain at least a first and a second two-dimensional image projection of a target volume within the animal or human body, each of said first and second two-dimensional image projection being obtained from a first and second imaging position of the imaging means respectively, wherein said first and second imaging position differ from each other; transformation means for reconstructing from said first and second two-dimensional image projections a three-dimensional contour image of said target volume; and displaying means for displaying said three-dimensional contour image of said target volume for a user.
It is common practice in the field of medicine to implement imaging techniques to view internal organs of a subject (patient). Said subject can be an animal or human body. When diagnosing for example the coronary blood circulation of said subject for coronary diagnosis an imaging means, for example an X-ray imaging device, is used to obtain image projections of the heart region and in particular of the blood vessels of the heart muscle (myocardium).
Herewith it is possible to identify any occlusion present in the coronary arteries and/or veins and to determine their location, size and extent of the occlusions if present.
Usually several two-dimensional image projections are needed and acquired from different view points (that is taken at different imaging positions of the imaging means relative to the patient) based on which a suitable three-dimensional contour image of the targeted organ is constructed. However the selection of the correct set of different two-dimensional image projections for the reconstruction of a three-dimensional representation (3D contour image) of the target volume still requires the acquisition and the analyzing by a diagnostician of multiple two-dimensional image projections before a decision on the correct set is being made.
This tends to lead to unnecessary lengthy imaging treatment session for the patient, which is undesirable due to radiation exposure, but also to incorrect selection of the correct set of image projections resulting in less accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment of the patient.